Glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped part, particularly a flat surface or shelf

ABSTRACT

A glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped piece ( 1 ), in particular a tray or a shelf, is outfitted on all or a portion of at least one of its surfaces, close to the edges, with a band-shaped raised surface ( 2 ). The piece is more particularly applicable to the field of household appliances.

This invention relates to the field of household appliances, inparticular glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped pieces and in particulartrays or shelves, and it has as its object such a piece.

Currently, the trays or shelves that are used in the field of domesticappliances, in particular in refrigerators, are generally made of glassor glass-ceramic or else metal, and they generally comprise a peripheralframing that is preferably made of a synthetic material that is added bycrimping or by injection.

For this purpose, WO 02/40180 describes a glass or glass-ceramicplate-shaped piece, in particular a tray or shelf, on which areassembled a frame that covers the periphery of said plate or extrudedplastic elements attached to each side of said plate.

Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,045 has as its object a glass orplastic plate-shaped piece, in particular a tray for a refrigerator, onwhich is mounted a plastic frame that is made of a single piece bymolding and that covers the periphery of said plate to form an edge thatis designed to hold the liquids.

A glass shelf for a refrigerator on which is assembled a rectangularframe that is made of a single piece by a plastic molding with aJ-shaped crosswise section is also known from US 2004/056575.

A glass or ceramic refrigerator shelf that is made of a single piecewith a peripheral edge that makes it possible to prevent contact betweenthe food to be refrigerated and the wall of the evaporator is also knownfrom EP 1 099 917.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,541 describes a shelf for a refrigeratorthat comprises a glass plate that is designed to support the items to berefrigerated that is assembled at its peripheral edge with a plasticframe that is made of two upper and lower parts that sandwich said platebetween said parts.

The trays or shelves that are made in this way do not, however, makefull use of the glass or the glass-ceramic of which they are made, inparticular because of their edge, and also a liquid accidently spilledon these trays or shelves can be held there, if the case arises.

This invention has as its object to eliminate these drawbacks byproposing a glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped piece, in particular atray or a shelf, that can be made simply and quickly and that hasimproved aesthetics relative to the existing pieces of this type.

For this purpose, the glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped piece, inparticular a tray or shelf, that is outfitted on all or a portion of atleast one of its surfaces, close to the edges, with a band-shaped raisedsurface, is characterized in that said band consists of an acrylic resinthat is deposited on the piece.

The invention will be better understood using the description below thatrelates to a preferred embodiment, provided by way of nonlimitingexample and explained with reference to the accompanying diagrammaticdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a bird's eye view of a plate-shaped piece according to theinvention, and

FIG. 2 is a cutaway view, on a larger scale, according to A-A of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings show a glass or glass-ceramicplate-shaped piece 1, in particular a tray or a shelf.

According to the invention, the piece 1 is outfitted on all or a portionof at least one of its surfaces, close to the edges, with a band-shapedraised surface 2. This band 2 can be made of a single layer or in theform of several successive superposed layers. In the latter case, it ispossible to obtain a relatively significant thickness such that the band2 can form a means for holding a liquid or a pasty product that wasaccidentally spilled.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the band 2 canadvantageously consist of an acrylic resin that is deposited on thepiece 1, for example by means of an automatic deposition devicecomprising a metering gun coupled to a guide and support table thatcontrols the movements in a plane. Thus, it is possible to produce,quickly and repetitively, a continuous or intermittent band at all ofthe predetermined locations of a piece 1, whereby the flow rate of themetering gun as well as its movement are managed by the automaticdevice.

It is also possible, according to a variant embodiment of the invention,to produce the band 2 in glass, metal or wood, and to attach it to thecorresponding surface of the piece 1 by means of an adhesive. The use ofan added material, optionally other than glass, makes it possible toachieve a new aesthetic effect in the field of pieces of this type.

According to another characteristic of the invention, not shown in theaccompanying drawing, the plate-shaped piece 1 that is made of glass orglass-ceramic has carved and optionally polished edges and is outfittedin advance on at least one portion of a surface with a decoration madeby color silkscreen, by enameling or by metallization. Furthermore, thepiece 1 can also be treated in advance by soaking. Thus, the piece 1 canhave all of the characteristics of a so-called safety glass.

Finally, it is also possible to equip the piece 1, on its section, witha peripheral band (not shown) that is similar to the band 2 that formsthe raised surface. In such a case, the piece 1, made of glass orglass-ceramic, will be perfectly protected against impacts. Theprovision of such a peripheral band makes it possible touse—simultaneously on the same piece 1—a perfect finishing of the edgesof the latter and the desired raised surface optionally to form a meansfor holding a liquid or pasty product that was accidentally spilled.

Finally, according to another characteristic of the invention, it isalso possible to ensure that the piece 1 and the band 2 are providedwith a coating of an antibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent or haveundergone a preliminary antibacterial and/or antimicrobial treatment.Thus, the piece 1 simultaneously fills a role for preserving the hygieneof the products deposited on it, in particular when it is used as a trayor shelf, for example in a refrigerator or the like.

With this invention, it is possible to produce a glass or glass-ceramicplate-shaped piece, in particular a tray or a shelf, in particular forrefrigerators, whose aesthetics is improved relative to the known traysor shelves. In addition, the band 2 that outfits this piece 1, which ismade directly on said glass piece 1, advantageously replaces the framethat is made of synthetic material or the conventional crimping, in theprior art, and makes it possible to hold possibly spilled liquids on thepiece 1.

In addition, the band 2 can also be used as an insert during thesuperposition of pieces 1, after their production, during storage and/orshipping.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described andshown in the accompanying drawing. Modifications are possible, inparticular from the standpoint of the composition of various elements orby substitution of equivalent techniques, without thereby exceeding thefield of protection of the invention.

1. Glass or glass-ceramic plate-shaped piece (1), in particular a trayor shelf, outfitted on all or a portion of at least one of its surfaces,close to the edges, with a band-shaped raised surface (2), a piece (1)that is characterized in that said band (2) consists of an acrylic resinthat is deposited on the piece (1).
 2. Piece, according to claim 1,wherein the band (2) is made of a single layer or in the form of severalsuperposed successive layers.
 3. Piece, according to claim 1, whereinthe band (2) is made of glass, metal or wood and is attached to thecorresponding surface of the piece (1) by means of an adhesive. 4.Piece, according to claim 1, wherein it has carved and optionallypolished edges and is outfitted in advance on at least one portion of asurface with a decoration made by color silkscreen, by enameling or bymetallization.
 5. Piece, according to claim 1, wherein it is treated inadvance by soaking.
 6. Piece, according to claim 1, wherein it isoutfitted, on its section, with a peripheral band that is similar to theband (2) that forms the raised surface.
 7. Piece, according to claim 1,wherein it is outfitted, with the band (2), with a coating of anantibacterial and/or antimicrobial agent or has undergone, with the band(2), a preliminary antibacterial and/or antimicrobial treatment.